Your Company Needs A Distracted Driving Policy

2012-01-06T19:38:48+00:00

2018-05-10T09:14:56+00:00

Traffic School by Improv

Given a recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board that the use of handheld devices by drivers should be banned nationwide, now might be a good time for your company to investigate it’s policy about employees using handheld devices when they are driving, especially if you have employees who are driving as a part of their job duties.

At least one Georgia attorney is recommending all companies adopt a policy which strictly forbids the use of handheld devices by employees who drive, to avoid liability in the event of a vehicle crash caused by distracted driving.

Studies have shown that distracted driving, which is what you are doing if you try to text, chat or argue with your boss on the phone while you’re cruising down the highway, is even more dangerous than driving under the influence. Your brain simply cannot focus on two things at once, especially when one of those things is safely operating your vehicle.

Georgia defensive driving, like everywhere, is based on paying close attention to what is happening around you, not on the text message you are trying to send to a co-worker.

We don’t profess to be experts in the law. We are defensive driving experts. Our expertise and experience tell us, if you’re employees are using their cell phones while driving it definitely increases their risk for having a distracted driving crash. Plain and simple. Statistics don’t lie and statistics tell us that distracted drivers have more crashes. Period.

Georgia is a nice state. Plenty of sunshine, beaches, parks and lots of nice folks. We can understand why you want to make it your home and do your business there. But as a business owner you have an obligation to keep your employees and anyone they might come in contact with, safe from an unintended crash. Nobody plans to have a vehicle accident, that’s why they are called “accidents.” But you can increase (or decrease) the likelihood of having an accident the moment you think about reaching for your smartphone.